Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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I thank European Movement Ireland for its presentation. Both speakers here are regular attenders at this committee. I thank them for their work on the future of Europe and the consultation which took place throughout the country. It was a useful exercise in engaging the citizens in that process so that everybody felt part of the agenda in planning a new future for Europe.

I note that the Government has since published the national statement on the future of Europe. It was debated briefly in the Dáil, just before Easter, in April. I guess that feeds into the strategic agenda. I thank the witnesses for their work on that.

There is much food for thought in regard to future alliances. There was a hard-hitting contribution from Mr. Keohane which we will have to consider seriously in our work at this committee.

Ms O'Connell was cut off on turnout in the European Parliament elections, but I see in her written contribution that turnout in Ireland was down and below the European average for the first time. Certainly, as somebody who was canvassing in those elections, the local elections seemed to be more important to the voters. I think that not one voter raised a European issue with me on the doorstep, and that is a little disappointing. We must get people more engaged with the European Parliament elections. I do not know how we will do that. Considering that European issues were at the top of the national agenda, that is a little disappointing.

What are Ms O'Connell's thoughts on the new European Parliament that has been elected? There has not been a swing to the populists and the far right as expected or to the extent that was expected. It seems now that there is a diverse fragmented centre, with the Greens doing particularly well throughout Europe as well, and various alliances will have to be formed when it comes to the groupings, the filling of the positions, the role of the European Parliament in that, etc. What is Ms O'Connell's view generally on the new European Parliament and how it will function? Will it be effective?